Week 6, 7/7/09

 

July 7, 2009

Week 6: Perspectives from the Pulpit, 1800-1860

Topics covered: The Noon Sermons that Changed the Debate; A “Christian Philosopher” Invents a Career;  “The Great Moon Hoax” of 1835; William Whewell before the Firestorm; Emerson’s “Astronomy;” Mormon Claims

Synopsis: During the first half of the 19th Century theologians published works effectively popularizing the idea of life beyond Earth. In particular, the writings of Scottish theologians Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) and Thomas Dick (1774-1857) became bestsellers of their day, presenting arguments in support of pluralist views within Christianity. Also covered are a fantastic journalistic deception that  became a subject of Sunday homilies; the early work of Rev. William Whewell (1794-1866), a central figure in the 19th Century extraterrestrial life debate; Ralph Waldo Emerson’s (1803-1882) influential sermon on the implications of astronomy; and revelatory writings supporting the plurality of worlds by Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith (1805-1844).

 

Assigned readings: Chapter 9, “Intensification of the Debate after 1800” (Crowe 2008:240-296) and Chapter 10, “Before the Whewell Debate” (Crowe 2008:297-307, 318-328). Crowe’s text includes primary source excerpts from these works:

 

Thomas Chalmers, A Series of Discourses on the Christian Revelation Viewed in Connection with the Modern Astronomy (New York: American Tract Society, 185[?]).

 

Thomas Dick, The Christian Philosopher, or the Connexion of Science and Philosophy with Religion (Hartford: A.C. Goodman & Co., 1850).

 

William Whewell, Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology (Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blanchard, 1833).

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Astronomy,” in Young Emerson Speaks: Unpublished Discourses on Many Subjects, ed. Arthur Cushman McGiffert, Jr.  (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1938).

 

Joseph Smith, The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Containing Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, The Prophet (Salt Lake City, Utah: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1957).